With the end of the NFL lockout seemingly on the horizon, the Dallas Cowboys are preparing for a flurry of activity during the first days of labor peace, a period that could make or break Jason Garrett's first full season as head coach.

The team will need to hit the ground running once the league finally gets back to business, and re-signing left tackle Doug Free should top its checklist.

“He'll be our No. 1 priority when things start up,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said in April, when the lockout was in its second month. “We want to sign Doug back.”

...Should the Cowboys want to keep some of those aging players, another option would be to restructure the contracts of quarterback Tony Romo, receiver Miles Austin and linebacker DeMarcus Ware.

How active the Cowboys will be in free agency — Oakland cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha could be a target — could hinge on how much fat is trimmed. Safety and defensive line are also spots that need bolstering, especially if the new CBA requires players to have only four years of service before becoming unrestricted free agents.

If that is indeed the case, two valued Cowboys free agents who are restricted under the 2010 system would become unrestricted: Free and defensive ends Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher. Left guard Kyle Kosier will be an unrestricted free agent no matter what happens with the CBA, and re-signing him is also expected to be a priority...